"The Powers of Alcohol" track listing:

"The four song EP features entirely instrumental tracks, and is brutally disappointing."

Dechrist is a two man band that was founded by Maerk Asselin and Martin Maurais. Their first recording in 2004 was a small success, and they have followed it up with “The Powers of Alcohol.” The four song EP features entirely instrumental tracks, and is brutally disappointing.

All four songs follow exactly the same formula. Asselin plays his thrash-styled guitar as fast as he can over Maurais’ frantic drumming, but it isn’t good. Maurais’ drums are constantly whacked at light speed, offering no subtlety, or even variation. He just plays a bunch of notes. The poor production makes the drums sound like an even bigger mess. Asselin demonstrates some ability on guitar, as he rips off frequent solos filled with 32nd notes. His riffs are simply thrash and hardcore riffs played as fast as possible. There isn’t much in the way of musical themes, melody, or song structure.

The promo package includes three photos of (presumably) Asselin and Maurais. They are photo-shopped in front of the band logo and pictures of old tires. There are messages written on the front of the photos like “Burn Your Scrapped Tires,” “Don’t Recycle,” and "Stay drunk! Fuck Off!” According to the band history “Dechrist” is a popular French Canadian expression meaning “Fuck Off.”

The songs are all about alcohol and drugs, and lyrics were written but never recorded for all four tracks. Asselin and Maurais are clearly focused on booze and drugs thematically, but without lyrics we cannot know their position, or even if the lyrics would have added anything. Hopefully Dechrist would have worshiped alcohol and drugs in a clever and intelligent way, like Tankard or AC/DC, instead of the coarse and stupefying way they went about making the rest of the album.

The whole package of inane and pointless thrash, comical promo package, and silly alcohol theme is laughable. When bands are tough and badass they don’t have to tell everyone they are tough, they just are and everyone else catches on. Similarly, when bands write good music, it is apparent from the music itself. Unfortunately this music was written by the guys from high school that liked to yell profanities while drinking their father’s beer, yet couldn’t make the JV football team.